'Super' medical centre for Park Beach Plaza

HEALTH care on the Coffs Coast is set to receive a shot in the arm, with the development of a super medical centre proposed for Park Beach in 2009.

The Bachrach Group, which operates Park Beach Plaza and HomeBase, has submitted a development application (DA) to Coffs Harbour City Council to build a new medical centre in the south west area of the Plaza.

If approved, the proposal would see the construction of a medical centre that could consolidate doctors from small practices in Coffs Harbour, encourage visiting specialists to the region, and combine different medical specialties into one centre.

The medical centre could also attract support services such as a mini pathology lab, nurse screening operation and aged support care operators.

In the application, Bachrach highlights the ageing population as placing a strong demand on medical and health resources on the Coffs Coast.

“This proposal provides for a concentration of trained doctors into a facility where the practitioner can concentrate on the delivery of health services,” the DA states.

“By redeveloping this area of an existing retail centre, concentration of medical occurs ... providing better planning opportunities for the community (and) sustainability such as fewer traffic trips.”

The DA states the operational hours for the development would be 8am to 9pm seven days a week, though the proposal does hint at the medical centre possibly operating 24 hours a day.

The proposed site of the medical centre is an area occupied by the Strathfield and KFC buildings, and the DA proposes the demolition and relocation of the KFC building, which Council will consider under a separate DA.

The DA is currently on public display and can be viewed at Coffs Harbour City Council's administrative centre until January 30.